NORTHERN IRELAND

Alternatives to the Baton Round: Publication ofPhase Four Report

Jane Kennedy: On 9 April 2003, I issued a press statement on the use of baton rounds in Northern Ireland. It contained the following paragraph:
	"On the basis that an acceptable and effective and less lethal alternative is available, the baton round would no longer be used after the end of 2003. In the event that that has not been achieved, the Government would report on the progress of the fourth phase of the research programme and review the options for less lethal alternatives consulting widely with a range of interested parties including the Chief Constable and the Policing Board".
	I have today placed in the Library a copy of the report on the fourth phase of the research programme into alternative policing approaches towards the management of conflict.
	A multi-agency steering group was set up in 2000, following publication of the Patten report on policing in Northern Ireland. Its purpose was to take forward the programme to establish whether an acceptable, effective and less potentially lethal alternative to the baton round is available and to review the public order equipment which is presently available or could be developed in order to expand the range of tactical options available to operational commanders.
	As Patten envisaged, it has been a wide-ranging and substantial programme. I am grateful to many contributors, including the police, those in government service, academics and other experts, for their sustained commitment.
	This fourth report of the steering group, that I have published today, concludes that there is as yet no commercially available product that meets the criteria of an acceptable and effective and less potentially lethal alternative.
	The Government will continue to keep all commercial products and technological research under review. It will ensure that those appearing to have real potential are tested and medically evaluated if appropriate.
	Against this background, the Government have concluded that it would be right to continue with the development of the attenuating energy and discriminating irritant projectiles (AEP and DIP) which represent the best opportunity to get an alternative to the L21 Al into service as rapidly as possible. The progress made in their development is set out fully in the report. While significant challenges remain, it is projected that the attenuating energy projectile would be available by the end of 2004, ready for operational use before summer 2005. Its development also follows up one of the recommendations for research by the independent medical advisers in their evaluation of the existing baton round, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House on 2 April 2001.
	Work is also continuing on a second new projectile, the discriminating irritant projectiles. This is inevitably a longer-term project. It is by no means certain that it can be successfully achieved, although the signs are positive thus far.
	We believe that there is real value in this combined programme, which has the potential to provide an acceptable, effective and less potentially lethal alternative to the current baton round. The Government intend to consult with a range of interested parties, including the Chief. Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
	In publishing the report today, I am inviting comments on it from interested parties.

DEFENCE

Army Technical Foundation College

Ivor Caplin: In my statement to the House on 27 November 2003, Official Report, column 35WS, I announced that I had approved in principle, and subject to full trades union consultation, plans by the Army Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA) to close the Army Technical Foundation College (ATFC) at Arborfield, and transfer students to, principally, the Army Foundation College (AFC) at Harrogate, where a technical training stream will be introduced. There will be other changes to the way in which junior recruits are trained within the ATRA, but these do not envisage closures of any establishments.
	I can now confirm that the consultation exercise has now been concluded and no serious objections have been raised to the proposal. I have therefore agreed that the closure plans may be implemented. Training at the College will therefore cease with effect from August of this year (the last students being accepted at the beginning of this month (January) and the College will close in March 2005.
	The principal aim of this proposal is to improve the quality and efficiency of training provided to junior entrants to the technical trades. It will not affect the Army's commitment or ability to accept suitable junior applicants onto appropriate courses at either the AFC or other ATRA Junior Entry establishments. I do not anticipate that this will have any major impact on the Army's recruiting plans in general.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Isle of Wight Council (Benefit Fraud Inspection)

Chris Pond: On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate (BFI) inspection report on Isle of Wight Council was published today and copies of the report have been placed in the Library.
	Following the housing Green Paper "Quality and Choice: A Decent Home for All", published in April 2000, the Department for Work and Pensions developed a performance framework for housing benefits. The performance standards for housing benefits allow local authorities to make a comprehensive self-assessment of whether they deliver benefit effectively and securely. They are the standards that the Department for Work and Pensions expects local authorities to aspire to and achieve in time.
	The BFI inspected Isle of Wight Council against the performance standards for housing benefits. The report finds that the council is not at standard for any of the seven functional areas of the performance standards—strategic management, customer services, processing of claims, working with landlords, internal security, counter-fraud, and overpayments.
	Isle of Wight Council's performance on benefit administration was mixed. Verification of evidence to support new and renewal claims was generally completed to standard. However, delays in processing of claims, and in processing changes of circumstances, meant that performance was significantly below targets. New benefit claims were taking an average of 75 days to clear compared with the national target of 36 days. Overpayments were being allowed to continue because notified changes of circumstances were not being dealt with promptly.
	A new benefits claim form based on the Department for Work and Pensions' national model was introduced from April 2003 which fully meets the requirements of the Standards.
	The performance of the council's fraud investigation team was variable. The team appeared to take the majority of investigations through to their natural conclusion, but the action taken on cases and the reasons for decisions made were not adequately recorded.
	Benefit overpayments were being recovered effectively from ongoing benefit, but the process for cases where benefit was no longer in payment was less effective.
	In 2002–03, Isle of Wight council administered some £39.5 million in housing benefits, about 18 per cent. of its total gross revenue expenditure.
	The report makes recommendations to help the council address weaknesses and to further improve the administration of housing benefit and council tax benefit, as well as counter-fraud activities.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is now considering the report and will be asking the council for its proposals in response to the BFI's findings and recommendations.

Benefit Fraud Inspectorate Work Programme

Chris Pond: On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the benefit fraud inspectorate (BFI) has today announced its Phase 9 programme of activity for 2004–05.
	The BFI is an independent unit within the Department for Work and Pensions that inspects and reports directly to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the standard of benefit administration and counter-fraud activity in local authorities and the Department's operations.
	As part of its Phase 9 activity, the BFI will be undertaking shorter, targeted inspections focusing on the area of claims processing for housing benefits. The BFI will be selecting authorities that are taking 80 days or more to process housing benefits claims. Authorities will be selected on an on-going basis, depending on their quarterly management information returns to the Department for Work and Pensions.
	Inspections on three other authorities—Breckland, Copeland, and Wyre—whose claims processing performance has improved significantly will be used to identify and disseminate good practice.
	The BFI will be undertaking full inspections on 14 local authorities whose benefits administration has been identified as poor or fair in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment programme. Authorities whose assessment results have already been announced include Allerdale, Broxtowe, Hart, North Norfolk, Rossendale, Rutland, Torridge, and West Berkshire.
	Full inspections on two other authorities—Herefordshire and Rotherham—who have shown significant improvements in their benefits administration during the comprehensive performance assessment programme will be used to identify and disseminate good practice.
	The BFI will also be undertaking full inspections on Caerphilly and Merthyr Tydfil councils whose benefits service performance has been identified as at risk during the Wales programme for improvement.
	The BFI will also be undertaking follow-up inspections on authorities to assess progress made since earlier BFI inspections.
	Working with the Audit Commission, the BFI will continue to undertake the comprehensive performance assessments programme, undertaking assessments on 30 district authorities and re-assessing the performance of 116 single-tier authorities.
	Working with Audit Scotland and the Audit Commission in Wales, BFI will continue its involvement in the Scottish best value programme and the Wales programme for improvement.
	The BFI will also continue to offer practical support and advice to local authorities as part of its successful performance improvement action team, a service that has proved both popular and effective in improving performance in benefits administration. Demand for this service continues to increase.
	Subject to further discussions, the BFI will be undertaking a specialist inspection on local authorities' compliance with disability discrimination Acts, and four specialist inspections on the business of the Department for Work and Pensions.